251703 Able Sea. Harry Gurney Royal Navy HMS Repulse from:Wern Mill, Nannerch, Flintshire Harry Gurney was my lovely father. He was serving as AB on HMS Repulse when it was attacked and sunk by the Japanese on 10th of December 1941. He worked down in the engine room, but on that fateful day he was called up onto deck, for what reason I do not know, but that call saved him, as all his mates he worked alongside in the engine room perished. He was in the water for many, many hours, clinging onto wood from the wreckage. He was picked up by the Australian Navy, and was taken to HMS Sultan on the 11th December until the 18th December. My father, like many others, never spoke to me about his time during the war. I only know the above from other family members who lived through that time. He never really talked about it to my late mother either. Sadly he died relatively young aged 55 years in 1973. He was from a naval family, his father William Samuel Gurney was a Chief Shipwright and was awarded the DSM for bravery. My father's older brother, William Edwin Gurney continued to serve in the Royal Navy and retired as a Lieutenant Commander. My late father worked in industry following the war.
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